Sunday night with James...

We had a sweet time playing together as a family on Sunday night. It all started with one of James' favorite activities while mommy worked on dinner. After we ate, he wrestled with Daddy and mommy. What special memories! Enjoy the photos!

First, I open mommy's cabinet (or sometimes she does so I won't open another one) and pull myself up to eye the goods.

Then I show mommy what I found. I'm so proud of myself!

Then it's time to sit down and enjoy the spoils.

After I'm done playing with lids, I might find a good use for the bowl they were in.

Like a space helmet!

Then my Daddy plays with me! I love my him!

And my mommy too!!

Roarrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Jim's first 8-point

We spent last weekend with my grandmama, and would you believe that I managed to forget to get even one photo of her and James! Hello, Allyson! While we were there, Jim and Tim worked on the fences at the farm and hunted. Jim shot his biggest buck ever this past Saturday. It was a 140 lb. 8-point shot from 215 yards. Those of you who are opposed to hunting had better skip this post because the pictures might offend you.

We took James down to the farm to see daddy's "trophy" and he thought it was pretty neat, as you can tell from the photos. Enjoy!

A day in the life of Mommy

James is all over the place! Jim has been home the last 2 1/2 days because of the snow and ice, so he's gotten a chance to see what my day looks like. Wake up get Jim's breakfast and lunch ready and spend a few minutes with God. Get James up, changed and fed. Clean dishes, catch James before he eats tile grout off the floor. Sweep floor halfway... catch James before he climbs the stairs. Sweep rest of floor... keep James from electrocuting himself. Put clothes in to wash... bathe James. Change clothes to dryer... put James down for a nap.... ETC. Haha! Now, I know why it takes me 10 times longer to get the housework done than before James came along! haha!

Below are pictures of Mr. Mobile's activities this morning. Enjoy!

Lots of Love and a big WAR EAGLE!!!

Jim, Ally & James

First he pulled his baby gym over onto himself from where it was "resting." Then he tried to get into my rocker and then climbed under the piano on the way to get something else (because going around would just be too easy)

James looked outside to make sure the snow was still there... yep, check! Then he thought climbing the stairs while mommy wasn't looking might be fun... darn she caught him just in time!

Next he "helped" mommy unfold the clothes in the basket.

Then he wandered into daddy's "office" to see what "help" he could be there. "Let's see I'll chew on your power cord, distract you for a minute (you probably needed a break anyway) and then I'll climb on your boots!"

Snowed in on Game Day

So as many of you have already heard on the news, most of Atlanta is snowed-in today. We took this opportunity to take James out to experience snow for the first time. Enjoy the photos below.

They are saying that conditions will be even worse for driving tonight because of the melting snow refreezing. We sure hope we don't lose power before the most important game of the century starts at 8:30! Haha!

WAR EAGLE!!!

Jim, Ally & James

At first Daddy tried to help James walk in the snow, but James had other ideas...


Maybe sitting in it would be better...


No, let's try lying down in it... that way I can eat it.

I'm cold and wet... this isn't so much fun now...

Can't you see the sadness on my face, Daddy... why aren't you picking me up?

Oh, this is much better!

It's not so bad from up here!

I like to be with mommy too.

I think I'll have another taste, Mommy... yum yum!

Hey, Bama...

Yes, I know you've already seen this collage, but it bears reposting (with a one word addition). WAR EAGLE!!! One more game to go!!

Insight into God as our Father

I found another blog post today that I just had to share. A friend of mine from back home has created a non-profit organization called "Clothe your neighbor as yourself," and he goes all over the place doing crazy things in the name of Jesus to help the world's poor. Anyway... he posted a quote from one of his friends that really just spoke to me.

You see... my little James and I are going through that tough stage of me learning to let him cry himself to sleep so he learns to fall asleep without mommy's help. I know that it is best for him, but it cuts me deep into my soul to listen to his cries and see his tears. This father relates this whole thing back to God as our father, and it really spoke to me. I thought it might speak to some of you as well.

Happy Friday!

http://officialjamesbarnett.tumblr.com/post/1258218420/right-outside-the-door

And because no blog is complete without a picture.

(Yes, my son likes to chew on his dresser knobs... and well... pretty much anything else. He also drew on himself for the first time ever. He even figured out how to open the pen himself! haha!)

8 month photos, 1st hike, and Daddy time

This is how I found James a couple mornings ago when I went into his room to get him up. Just chillin'... He usually just lays in his crib talking to himself for 5-10 minutes after he wakes up. His sweet noises are like music to mommys ears. :) So precious!

Well... what's new? Seems like there's really not too much to tell. James and I have spent the last two weeks pretty much like we spend every other week... doing laundry, grocery shopping, vacuuming, playing in James' room, cooking together, etc. It can seem so monotonous at times, but then I sit down in my rocker with James in my lap and think about how much I dreamed about being a mommy and having a sweet little boy like him. And I just soak in the moment... trying to keep it from slipping by so fast... and trying to store up my feelings and James' sweet noises and movements in my memory to replay and enjoy forever. What a joy this journey called motherhood can be!

James is still growing like a weed. He's got two teeth on the top about to pop through, which means he and mommy haven't gotten a full night of sleep in about 3 weeks! But we can finally see those little jokers so hopefully soon the itching, pain and insomia will be over for a few more weeks.

Below is a pictures of "teddy bear"James. Nana bought him this cute fleece outfit to keep him warm during the cold days ahead, and it doubled nicely as a halloween costume!

And mommy finally got some "8 month" shots of James. I really wanted to take him outside, but the weather didn't permit. :(

Last Saturday, we all got dressed for the Auburn game (Tech had played on Thursday) found the coupons for the wing place we were going to go watch it at, and then realized that it started 3 hours before we thought, and we'd missed all but the last 7 minutes of play. Well... drat! So we went out for wings anyway, and when we got back, James and Daddy enjoyed some playtime on the living room floor while mommy played photographer! :)

Since James is a little young for trick-o-treating, we decided to spend Halloween afternoon driving through the Georgia mountains looking at the changing leaves. It was supposed to be the peak weekend for leaves changing... unfortunately a couple days before we went a big storm blew through and blew down a lot of the leaves. :( We had a great time together anyway, and James got to go on his first hike! It was short, but Daddy was so excited, and I know this will be the first of MANY more family hikes together!

(Here's one of our only "family" shots... taken by a random guy near the trailhead. )
Well... that pretty much wraps up our news. We're still waiting for God to send us the right buyer for our house, but thankfully Jim is still working out of Atlanta. We definitely covet your continued prayers for us as we seek God's will in this transfer.

For HIS glory,

Jim, Ally, and James